How to prepare a perfect Mocha?

Turkish mocha is a strong coffee that is refined with spices and sugar. You drink it from small, flat cups. It is prepared in a special jug, the so-called ibrik. This is thin-walled, has a long handle, and is usually made of brass or copper. 'Ibrik' is not the only name of the jug - depending on the region it is also known as Kanaka, Finjan, Cezce, Rakwa, or Briki. 

Due to the way it is prepared, Turkish mocha contains suspended particles that give it a creamy texture. Thus, the addition of sugar and spices gives it a particularly intense taste and is undoubtedly one of the most original ways of making and enjoying a great coffee.

This is how you prepare the perfect mocha coffee

Whether Turkish coffee, Arabic, or Greek coffee - this always means the traditional preparation of coffee in which the coffee powder remains in the drink as coffee grounds. In Europe, this original method is known as mocha. You don't need expensive accessories for Turkish coffee and you can simply reuse the coffee grounds, for example as flower fertilizer.

For a Turkish coffee you need:

• a small pot or metal jug with a long handle
• finely ground coffee powder (finer than espresso powder)
• water
• Espresso cups or small coffee cups

How to make Turkish coffee:

1. Pour water into the jug or pot. You can use a cup as a measure.
2. If you prefer the coffee sweet, you can also add sugar to the water and bring it to a boil.
3. Have the cups ready next to the stove, you will have to pour the finished coffee into the cups immediately later.
4. Heat the water until the first bubbles appear. But the water shouldn't boil.
5. Turn the stove down, the coffee will boil over quickly and then taste bitter.
6. Then put the coffee powder into the pot with a teaspoon, for each cup (espresso size) a heaping teaspoon of coffee powder.
7. Tip:  Take the pot off the stove to do this, if coffee powder comes on the stove, it smells burnt.
8. Stir in the powder and gently bring it to a boil.
9. Warning:  from now on you must always watch the coffee carefully so that it does not boil over.
10. As soon as foam forms and rises up the wall of the pot, the coffee is ready.
11. Use a spoon to spread some foam into each cup.
12. Afterward gently pour the rest of the coffee into the cups.
13. Serve the coffee and enjoy the spicy aroma.

With Mocha coffee, the pot is what counts

The special metal pots are ideal for Turkish coffee because you can put them directly on the stove. They are shaped like a small jug with a long handle. The narrowing of the pot at the top creates a thick head of foam. Similar to the crema in espresso, the secret of perfectly cooked Turkish coffee lies in the coffee foam. You can get the jugs in oriental grocery stores, they are called Cezve (spoken: Djeswe) in Turkish or Ibrikq in Arabic.

Traditionally, the jugs are made of brass or copper, modern jugs are often made of stainless steel.  You don't have to buy a pot to try this way of making coffee. To start with, a small saucepan like you use for boiling milk or for melting butter is sufficient. However, you will have to cut back on the coffee foam.

Use extra finely ground coffee powder for the perfect Mocha coffee

The powder for Mocha coffee is very finely ground, almost like powdered sugar. The foam only forms through the fine powder. The usual espresso powder is usually still too coarsely ground to achieve a nice head of foam with a full aroma. The right coffee aroma develops best in freshly ground coffee. Traditionally, ground Turkish mocha is usually only available in small packs of 100 grams or 200 grams.

For a nice, aromatic Turkish coffee, look for quality beans in a coffee shop and have them ground extra finely. Mildly spicy Arabica varieties from Ethiopia, Yemen, or Brazil give the best mocha flavor. Also, use coffee with a fair trade seal, then you can enjoy the coffee sustainably. 

Turkish coffee - the traditional oriental coffee ceremony

The traditional preparation of Turkish coffee has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013. In the Orient, making coffee is a ceremony that requires quiet. Turkish coffee is enjoyed in the Orient as a break from everyday life. That is why a well-made Turkish “coffee to go” is almost unthinkable. Therefore, the preparation takes time and concentration on the coffee - because the coffee should boil three times.

How to celebrate Turkish coffee:

1. When the coffee is brewing for the first time, use a spoon to add some foam to all cups.
2. Then put the pot back on the stove and let the coffee boil again.
3. Remove some foam again with a spoon and distribute it.
4. Repeat the process again, then pour the rest of the coffee into the cups.
5. This will give you a thick foam cone over the steaming coffee.
6. Now the coffee has to sit down.
7. Connoisseurs only drink Turkish coffee when the foam has spread around the edge of the cup and the black eye of the coffee appears. This is the sign that the coffee grounds have sunk to the floor.
8. An oriental Turkish delight like Lokum also called Rahatluk, or Halva is usually served with coffee.

You can also refine Turkish coffee with spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, or cloves. For this oriental spice coffee, you need a knife tip of each spice per pot. They give the drink a warm round aroma and you can do without sugar. The acidity of the coffee is then also better tolerated. You can also experiment and boil cocoa with it or use real oriental rose water.